Membangun Peradaban Bersama Rakyat

Since 1986 BITRA Indonesia has started carrying out human resource development activities in rural areas for the North Sumatra region by strengthening it through community groups.

One of the activities carried out is assisting farmers in defending cases on people’s land in four districts, including North Padang Lawas (Paluta), Padang Lawas (Palas) Deli Serdang, Langkat & East Aceh.

BITRA Indonesia’s advocacy program takes the form of litigation and non-litigation activities carried out through People’s Education, People’s Land Cases Campaign, Agrarian Issues Campaign, Network Building and Comparative Studies.

In addition, strengthening the capacity of people’s institutions, such as strengthening and developing people’s organizations, at the village, sub-district, district and provincial levels, is a development carried out at the end of this advocacy program.

Policy advocacy is also carried out in the form of encouraging local governments (districts and provinces) to make regulations (Perda) that favor the people. The local regulations that are being pushed starting with this research are those related to agriculture, agrarian affairs and empowerment of rural communities.

For the Palas and Paluta areas, Bitra is involved in advocating for customary lands and indigenous farming communities who still live in a sub-system (based on the compassion of nature).

As for the Mandailing Natal (Madina) area, Bitra together with the consortium led the way for environmental & forest conservation, such as initiating the establishment of the Batang Gadis National Park (TNBG).